Kaytura Felix Aaron, M.D.

Current Position:
Chief, Clinical Quality Data Branch
Division of Clinical Quality
Bureau of Primary Health Care
Health Resources and Services Administration

Training Site:
Johns Hopkins University

Education:
M.D., Cornell University Medical College

Research Interests:
Incorporating CBPR methodologies into health services research & policy, Access to care for communities of color

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

Dr. Felix Aaron worked on four community-based projects. In the first, she was involved with the Mid-Atlantic Health Leadership Community Project where she organized a newsletter. She also worked to assist the community to request funding to continue this project. For the second project, Dr. Felix Aaron worked with members of a community health worker association to develop an evaluation tool for determining the level of client satisfaction with health workers. Dr. Felix Aaron’s third project had her participating in the Urban Health Initiative for East Baltimore, where she was studying and trust-building and local governance. In Dr. Felix Aaron’s fourth project, she was studying the Middle East Community Association-Historic East Baltimore Community Action Coalition for urban revitalization.

[ back to top ]

Katherine Alaimo, Ph.D, MS

Current Position:
Assistant Professor
Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition
Michigan State University

Training Site:
University of Michigan

Education:
Ph.D, Community Nutrition, Cornell University
M.S., Community Nutrition, Cornell University
B.S., Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University

Research Interests:
U.S. hunger & its consequences for children, community food security, benefits of urban agriculture/community gardening for public health, neighborhood social capital & urban redevelopment, promoting healthy eating and physical activity through policies & environments, community-based participatory research

Community Health Scholars Project:
Although Flint, Michigan has been challenged more than most communities, a new sense of hope, purpose and possibility is recently visible. One expression of this energy is the Flint Urban Gardening and Land Use Committee. Established in 1998, the Flint Urban Garden and Land Use Committee is an ad-hoc group of community leaders and people from non-profit organizations, neighborhood associations, block clubs, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University Cooperative Extension, and the Genesee County Health Department. Their mission is to provide assistance to groups who are interested in or involved in beautification initiatives and to promote gardening and other land-use projects in Flint and Genesee County. Community gardens, as green spaces, meeting places, and food and flower production systems, have the potential to revitalize distressed neighborhoods and communities. Documentation of these benefits can be used to: improve existing gardens, promote the initiation of new gardens, and secure foundation and city support for gardens and other beautification projects. Dr. Alaimo continues to study the benefits of urban community gardens with the Flint Urban Garden and Land Use Committee.

[ back to top ]

Precilla Belin, Ph.D, MA

Current Position:
Assistant Professor
Public Health Program
Morgan State University

Training Site:
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Education:
Ph.D, Human Ecology, University of Tennessee
MA, Gerontology, University of Arkansas
BS, Health Education, University of Arkansas

Research Interests:
Health Promotion & Disease Prevention, Health Disparities, Cancer Education & Prevention, Community-Based Participatory Research, Implementation & Evaluation of programs designed for African American women/Minorities/Underserved Populations, Faith-Based Public Health

Dr. Belin also served as Co-Investigator on a study entitled: “Development of Adolescent Anti-Smoking Messages” with Dr. Barbara Curbow as the Principal Investigator.  This study used participatory research techniques to develop anti-smoking messages for female early to mid-adolescents (13-16 years of age).  Dr. Belin worked with the research team to develop a community advisory board and to help build community partnerships to assist in the study.  Also, Dr. Belin collaborated with Youth Pastors and teens from the Baltimore community to develop faith-based PSAs to compare them with the non-faith-based PSAs.

Dr. Belin is continuing her long history of breast cancer work, specifically developing, implementing, and evaluating faith-based interventions and community outreach programs that focus on education (early detection and prevention) among African American women.

Recent Presentations:
Belin, P. L. (February 2002). Implementing a culturally sensitive community-based project to increase breast cancer screening and awareness among African American women.  Paper presented at the Black History Month Series of the Student Diversity Office, Johns Hopkins University: Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.

Belin, P. L. (September 2001). The implementation and evaluation of a community-based research project to increase breast cancer screening and awareness in East Tennessee.  Paper presented at the Community Health Scholars First Thursday Series, Johns Hopkins University: Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.

Belin, P. L. (October 2001). Evaluating the effectiveness of a community-based project to increase breast cancer screening and awareness among African American women: Witnessing In Tennessee.  Poster presented at the American Public Health Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA.

[ back to top ]

Diane Calleson, Ph.D, MA

Current Position:
Assistant Professor
Department of Family Medicine

Public Health Leadership Program
University of North Carolina

Training Site:
University of North Carolina

Education:
Ph.D, Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis, North Carolina State University
MA, Sociology, North Carolina State University

Research Interests:
The effect of community involvement on academic health centers and Community-service learning modalities in health professional education

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

United Voices, located in rural Orange County, North Carolina, is a minority-led, community-based organization that has recently acquired its 501C3 status. United Voices is well acquainted with the ideals and principles of participatory action research from its involvement in both the Community-Based Public Health Initiative and the Community Health Scholars Program. As a scholar, Dr. Calleson worked with them to increase their organizational capacity so that they could enhance community programs, and continue to serve as a viable, long-term partner with public and private agencies to improve the health outcomes of their community.

Dr. Calleson’s research included working with United Voices leaders to: (1) define goals for recruitment; (2) determine the individuals, agencies and business leaders to interview; (3) develop sets of interview questions; (4) analyze the information gathered in the interviews; (5) and develop strategies for recruitment and retention of United Voices members.

[ back to top ]

Vivian Chavez, DrPH, MPH

Current Position:
Assistant Professor
Department of Health Education
San Francisco State University

Training Site:
University of Michigan

Education:
DrPH, Community Health Education, University of California at Berkeley
MPH, Health Education, University of California at Berkeley

Research Interests:
Youth & community development, Violence prevention, Collaborative leadership, Community-based participatory research

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

Dr. Chavez was involved in a video ethnography of local community based participatory research in Detroit through the Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The project enabled her to: a) learn broadly about the field of CBPR, i.e.: history, values, methodologies, politics; b) learn specific technical skills of documentary video making - a rarely used research method in the field of public health - to educate funding agencies, researchers, and community based organizations in the principles and practice of community-based participatory research; and c) apply principles of CBPR to the video making process. An important component of CBPR is the dissemination of findings. Traditionally, this has meant writing up the results of a study and submitting the product as a presentation and/or manuscript for publication. Principles of CBPR call for this process to be done in partnership with representatives of the community-based organizations that contributed to the research process. Nonetheless, the frame of reference for dissemination of findings is often guided by standards within academia that focus on methodology and outcomes frequently at the expense of process. Although form and content are intricately related, visual arts, music, and other means of interactive education are unusual as sources for dissemination of research findings.

Presentations:
Comenzando Bien: Responsive Health Promotion. American Public Health Association Annual Conference, November 1999.

[ back to top ]

Stephanie Farquhar, Ph.D, MA

Current Position:
Assistant Professor
Portland State University’s School of Community Health
Portland, Oregon

Training Site:
University of North Carolina

Education:
Ph.D., Health Behavior and Health Education, University of Michigan School of Public Health
M.A., Anthropology, University of Colorado at Boulder

Research Interests:
Social & Environmental Equity, Environmental Health Policy, Effects of Grassroots Participation on Health and the Role of the University in Academic-Community Public Health Partnerships

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

Dr. Farquhar worked on a community-driven research project that was initiated by the social justice organization, Workers and Community for Relief and Aid Project (WCRAP). The data that was collected in the project was submitted to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and local government representatives in an effort to change discriminatory and inadequate emergency environmental and housing policies. Illustrative statistics and interview quotes from over 200 interviewees, as well as qualitative and quantitative data collection methods and analyses was presented. With the assistance of her community mentor Naeema Muhammad, Dr. Farquhar continues working towards changes in policy and the establishment of a Survivors’ Organizing Council.

[ back to top ]

Shannon Frattaroli, Ph.D, MPH

Current Position:
Assistant Scientist
Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health

Training Site:
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg University

Education:
Ph.D., Johns Hopkins Bloomberg University
MPH, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg University

Research Interests:
Role of policy in improving the health of populations, Effects of firearm injury prevention policies, Role of advocacy and communities in the policy process

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

The potential of policy to influence the public’s health has long been recognized by our profession. However, policy interventions are a rarity among community-based public health initiatives. More common are educational interventions which aim to change individual behavior, and health service interventions which provide specific services to community members.

In order to better understand the role of policy in community-based initiatives, Dr. Frattaroli partnered with two policy-oriented community organizations in Baltimore. One organization, the Neighborhood Congress, is a city-wide coalition of neighbors and neighborhood associations working to bring a community voice to local government policies that affect community health. The second organization is comprised of victims of gun violence working to reduce gun death and injury through grassroots organizing and policy advocacy. Through these partnerships, several lessons related to community participation in the policy process are being identified. Key findings included: strategies for building and sustaining momentum in support of policy goals; roles for partners in community-based policy advocacy efforts; and techniques for accessing decision-makers.

[ back to top ]

Clarence Gravlee, Ph.D, MA

Current Position: 
Assistant Professor
Department of Anthropology
Florida State University

Training site:
University of Michigan

Education:
Ph.D, Anthropology, University of Florida
MA, Anthropology, University of Florida
BA, Anthropology, University of Florida

Research Interests:
Hypertension & Racial Inequalities in Health

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

Dr. Lance Gravlee worked with the Healthy Environments Partnership (HEP), a community-based participatory research project affiliated with the Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center. HEP is focused on the role of air pollution, dietary factors, and stress in shaping racial and socioeconomic disparities in cardiovascular disease in Detroit, with the goal of informing community-based interventions and policy efforts to reduce such disparities.  A central aim of HEP is to document how neighborhood and social structural conditions influence social inequalities in heart disease. To that end, Dr. Gravlee joined a team of community and academic partners in developing and implementing a standardized tool for assessing neighborhood conditions in the three HEP study areas.  He also developed a parallel project to map the distribution of fundamental social determinants of health, using a combination of ethnographic methods and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).  In addition, he was involved with HEP’s community outreach and education program (COEP), which aimed to communicate the study’s findings both to policy makers and to community members at large.  Finally, Dr. Gravlee participated in a writing team from the Eastside Village Health Workers Partnership (ESVHWP) to examine the relationship between perceived discrimination and health in the most recent wave of the ESVHWP survey.  One aim of this project was to identify local arenas for developing community-based interventions to reduce racial inequalities in health.  In January 2004, Dr. Gravlee has joined the faculty of the Department of Anthropology at Florida State University.

[ back to top ]

Derek Griffith, Ph.D, MA

Current Position:
Assistant Research Scientist
Department of Health Behavior & Health Education
Associate Evaluation Director
Prevention Research Center
University of Michigan - School of Public Health

Training Site:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Education:
 Ph.D, Clinical Community Psychology, DePaul University
 MA, Clinical-Community Psychology, DePaul University
 BA, Psychology/Afro-American Studies, University of Maryland

Research Interests:
Social determinants of health disparities, Institutionalized Racism, Evaluation, Health of men of color

Community Health Scholars Program Project:
Dr. Derek Griffith worked on two projects: one on rural, African American men’s health and another on institutional racism in a county health department.  The first project, entitled Efland Men Acting Together on Cancer and Health (MATCH), had three goals: (1) explore the social and historical context in Efland, NC that have an impact on African American men’s gender socialization and access to health care, screening, and information through interviews, focus groups, and secondary data collection, and (2) develop and pilot a multi-level intervention that focuses on issues of male gender socialization related to seeking prostate cancer information and screening.  This intervention included training MATCH Advisors or natural helpers; organizing MATCH Learning Circles, men’s social and discussion groups to normalize discussion of prostate cancer and other men’s health issues; and development of a MATCH health communications campaign, organized to raise awareness about men’s health and prostate cancer.  Also, MATCH will (3) evaluate and refine the confidant interview method for collecting data from MATCH Advisors and participants about the impact of the intervention on men’s informed decision-making, social group norms, and community awareness around seeking prostate cancer information and screening.  This research was a collaboration between African-American men in Efland, United Voices of Efland-Cheeks, local churches, and representatives from the Orange County Health Department.   

The second project was an effort to measure institutional racism in Chatham County Public Health Department, and conduct a participatory evaluation of their Dismantling Racism process.  This process was designed to develop a common language and a common analysis for understanding racism and the ways in which it manifests itself in the health care delivery system, and examin the policies, procedures and structures that allow racism to continue to exist within the Chatham County Public Health Department.  The evaluation framework is based on Camara Jones’ (2000) ecological framework for understanding racism at the institutional, personally-mediated and internalized levels, and explores how to measure the impact of the Dismantling Racism process at each of these levels.

[ back to top ]

Cynthia Lanier, DrPH, MPH

[ back to top ]

Tracey Lewis-Elligan, Ph.D., MA

Current Position:
Assistant Professor
Department of Sociology
DePaul University

Training Site:
University of Michigan

Education:
Ph.D, Child and Family Studies, Syracuse University
M.A, Psychology, New School Social Res., New York, NY
B.A, Psychology, Hampton University

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

Dr. Tracey Lewis-Elligan was involved in two projects during her Community Health Scholars Year.  One project, Promoting Healthy Lifestyles Among Women, PHLAW, is a 5-year NIH funded community based randomized controlled clinical trial study.  The overall aim of the project was to demonstrate the effectiveness of a healthy lifestyle intervention tailored to meet the needs of pregnant and postpartum African-American and Latino women in Detroit, Michigan.  The intervention was designed to reduce behavioral and clinical risk factors for Type 2 diabetes.  The healthy lifestyle intervention includes three goals: 1) to increase physical activity of women, 2) to increase fruit and vegetable intake and 3) to reduce fat and sugar intake.  Dr. Lewis-Elligan’s role in this project is to: 1) observe how a randomized controlled clinical trial study is conducted by applying CBPR principles, 2) to facilitate the process evaluation of the pilot study, and 3) to contribute to the curriculum development.  Dr. Lewis-Elligan planned to participate in pilot testing newly developed aspects of the curriculum with community resident participants.
The second project Dr. Lewis-Elligan was involved in is affiliated with the East Side Village Health Worker Partnership (ESVHWP).  The ESVHWP was developed to investigate the social determinants of health and to improve the health of women, children, and families on Detroit’s East Side.  The ESVHWP incorporates CBPR principles and relies on a lay health worker intervention strategy to improve the lives of women, children, and families.  Over the past seven years, the ESVHWP has worked in collaboration with Village Health Workers (VHWs) to address priority areas and objectives.  One project called BEST-Building Early Self-Esteem Techniques was developed by a VHW, Yvette Banks, to address identified priority areas.  BEST is a 4-week workshop that was developed to strengthen young women and children’s self-esteem by incorporating the art of hair braiding.  Dr. Lewis-Elligan’s role in this project involved conducting a formative evaluation of BEST.  The evaluation methods included participant observation, focus group, in-depth interviews, and CBPR principles.  In collaboration with the advisory committee of BEST(which is made up of members from the Health Department, Community Based Organizations, VHWs, and University of Michigan) Dr. Lewis-Elligan evaluated the impact of this project and the feasibility and future direction of such a project.

[ back to top ]

Michael Lindsey, Ph.D, MPH, MSW

Current Position:
Assistant Professor
School of Social Work
University of Maryland, Baltimore 

Training Site:
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Education:
Ph.D, Social Work, University of Pittsburgh
MPH, University of Pittsburgh
MSW, Howard University
BA, Sociology, Morehouse College

Research Interests:
Mental health service delivery to minority adolescents, Development of male children in single-mother homes, Violence prevention among urban youth, Community-based intervention development

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

Dr. Michael Lindsey was involved in various projects geared towards addressing the mental health of African-American adolescent males.  An example of one project titled, Mental Health Needs Assessment for African-American Adolescent Males worked with community settings, in most cases community-based organizations and schools, to observe and understand what the different mental health needs are of African-American adolescent males.  Dr. Lindsey met with African American families and youth in these settings to identify the most salient mental health issues faced by adolescent males.  Of specific focus: 1) understanding the community role (past and current) in addressing the mental health problems of African-American adolescent males; 2) exploring the help-seeking behaviors of African-American adolescent males; and 3) determining the feasibility of multi-site intervention to address mental issue among African-American adolescent males. 

Another example of another project that Dr. Lindsey was involved with is titled, Determine the Feasibility of a Mental Health Intervention, was undertaken to review the feasibility and utility of a psychoeducation intervention developed exclusively for African-African adolescent males.  Dr. Lindsey worked with the steering committee to identify: 1) how the intervention can be sustained in community settings; 2) a community-based organization to pilot test the intervention; and 3) what settings are most useful for systematic data collection to determine the efficacy of this intervention.  In year two of the fellowship period, Dr. Lindsey worked on testing out the psychoeducation intervention using a comparison group and with an adequate sample size to determine program efficacy.  This randomized study included community-based organizations and settings that work with African-American males. 

[ back to top ]

Ellen Lopez, Ph.D, MPH

[ back to top ]

Iveris Martinez, Ph.D, MA

[ back to top ]

Siobhan Maty, Ph.D, MPH

[ back to top ]

Michael Reece, Ph.D, MPH

Current Position:
Assistant Professor and William L. Yarber Professor
Department of Applied Health Science
Indiana University

Training Site:
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

Education:
Ph.D., Health Behavior, University of Georgia
MPH, Health Promotion, San Diego State University
BS, Health Promotion, University of Georgia

Research Interests:
Sexual Health, HIV-Related Mental Health

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

During Dr. Reece’s year in the Community Health Scholars Program he worked closely with two community-based organizations, Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) in Baltimore, Maryland, and Positive Impact, Inc., in Atlanta, Georgia.

Through his work with HCH, Dr. Reece and his community partners worked to complete a process evaluation of the agency’s outpatient additions treatment program. This work continues as Dr. Reece and his partners are exploring several funding opportunities for subsequent research based upon his CHSP project findings. At Positive Impact, an Atlanta area mental health clinic for low income, HIV affected individuals, Dr. Reece and his community partners worked on dissemination activities associated with research that they had conducted prior to the beginning of his CHSP year. They also explored the factors associated with sustaining a long-distance research partnership given that Dr. Reece and his partners had been conducting community-based participatory research prior to the beginning of his year at Johns Hopkins. Dissemination activities included presentations at national conferences, the preparation of manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals, and the development of an application that was subsequently funded. As a result, Dr. Reece and his partners at Positive Impact will be able to continue their work over the next five years through the GA Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Minority Psychosocial Services Project. During his CHSP year, Dr. Reece also worked as the Program Planning Chair of the Community Based Public Health Caucus as this group organized a slate of scientific sessions for the 2001 American Public Health Association Annual Meeting.

[ back to top ]

Scott Rhodes, Ph.D, MPH

[ back to top ]

Michael Royster, MD, MPH

Current Position:
District Director
Crater Health District
Virginia Department of Health

Training Site:
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Education:
MD, School of Medicine, Duke University of Medicine
MPH, School of Hygiene & Public Health, Johns Hopkins University
BA, Biology, University of Virginia

Research Interests:
Men's Health, Community Partnerships, Health Disparities

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

Dr. Royster worked with a community-based organization and a coalition of community representatives to develop an initiative to improve the health of African American men in Raleigh, NC. He conducted focus groups and used them as a basis for the issues that they will target. Dr. Royster also worked on the evaluation of a community-based chronic disease prevention project. The evaluation will determine changes in behaviors, community capacity, and cultural norms that result from the interventions. As well, he has also conducted an assessment of this community-based organization and its members to develop recommendations that would contribute to improving the organization’s functions.

[ back to top ]

Yamir Salabarría-Peña, DrPH

Current Position:
Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Division of Adolescent and School Health
Surveillance and Evaluation Research Branch

Training Site:
University of Michigan

Education:
Dr.PH., Health Education, Loma Linda University
MPH, Health Education, University of Puerto Rico
BS, Health Education, University of Puerto Rico

Research Interests:
Maternal child health in Latino communities

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

As a Community Health Scholar Dr. Salabarría-Peña immersed in CBPR projects that involved underserved populations such as African American and Latinos living in Detroit, Michigan for the purpose of reducing ethnic health disparities. This required the participation of the communities affected. The projects Dr. Salabarría-Peña was a part of are affiliated with a partnership composed of individuals from the academia, health department, and community health organizations represented by individuals from communities where the projects are being conducted. The projects also have steering committees (academic, community and health service partners) that participated in developing interview protocols, identifying group facilitators and participants, interpreting results, disseminating findings in the community, and designing interventions. Discrimination, racism, organizational structure, culture, community’s low-educational levels were issues, which if not addressed may have had a number of adverse results. These might have included projects coming to a standstill, dissolution of partners, limited longevity of projects, lack of communication between partners involved, increased community underlying mistrust, and limited community empowerment and development.

[ back to top ]

[ back to top ]

Lisa Benz Scott, Ph.D, MS

Current Position:
Clinical Associate Professor
State University of New York at Stony Brook
School of Health Care Policy and Management

Training Site:
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

Education:
PhD, School of Hygiene & Public Health, Johns Hopkins University
MS, Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Leisure Studies, Division of Health Promotion, Purdue University
BA, Psychology, State University of New York at Stony Brook

Research Interests:
Gender & race/ethnic disparities in health care (particularly related to cardiac disease prevention & rehabilitation), Health communications & translation research, Participatory research methods & evaluation

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

Dr. Benz Scott worked with a team of scientists, clinicians, community health workers, and case workers to transition over 300 men from participating in a randomized clinical trial to treat and control high blood pressure to a community-owned clinical practice setting. Dr. Benz Scott was responsible for organizing, facilitating, and working closely with both academic and community partners. She also partnered with the Johns Hopkins University Urban Health Institute and the Maryland Institute for Cultural Arts to develop and disseminate health messages based on the results of this research. Other projects included creating health education materials for East Baltimore residents faced with demolition of row houses in their community, and established a community advisory board to address barriers affecting womens’ ability to maximize the benefits of outpatient cardiac rehabilitation.

[ back to top ]

I. Shevon Harvey, DrPH

Current Position:
Assistant Professor
Department of Kinesiology and Community Health
College of Applied Health Sciences
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Training Site:
University of Michigan

Education:
DrPH, Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
MPH, Public Health, Morehouse School of Medicine
BS, Ceramic Engineering, Clemson University

Community Health Scholars Program Project:
Dr. Harvey worked with the Healthy Environments Partnership (HEP) in writing a grant evaluating the relationship that influences physical activity and the built environment to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Another primary project was with the Village Health Worker Project (VHWP) to evaluate the dissemination of diabetes and cardiovascular disease information by the Healthy Connection Advocates (HCAs) through informal social networks. As a secondary project, Dr. Harvey worked with REACH Detroit to evaluate the collaboration process between the Spanish speaking and non-Spanish speaking health workers.

[ back to top ]

I. Shevon Harvey, DrPH

Current Position:
Assistant Professor
Department of Kinesiology and Community Health
College of Applied Health Sciences
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Training Site:
University of Michigan

Education:
DrPH, Public Health, University of Pittsburgh
MPH, Public Health, Morehouse School of Medicine
BS, Ceramic Engineering, Clemson University

Community Health Scholars Program Project:
Dr. Harvey worked with the Healthy Environments Partnership (HEP) in writing a grant evaluating the relationship that influences physical activity and the built environment to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity. Another primary project was with the Village Health Worker Project (VHWP) to evaluate the dissemination of diabetes and cardiovascular disease information by the Healthy Connection Advocates (HCAs) through informal social networks. As a secondary project, Dr. Harvey worked with REACH Detroit to evaluate the collaboration process between the Spanish speaking and non-Spanish speaking health workers.

[ back to top ]

Diane Marie St. George, Ph.D, MA

Current Position:
Faculty Chair, Master's Program in the School of Public Health
Walden University

Training Site:
University of North Carolina

Education:
Ph.D, Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
MA, Health Education, University of Maryland at College Park
BS, Zoology & Psychology, University of Maryland at College Park

Research Interests:
Social disparities in health and distance education

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

Dr. St. George’s major project was entitled "Assessing the Relationships Between Health Service Organizations and the Communities They Serve." That study was based upon the U.S. organizational competence research being conducted by Dr. St. George’s CHSP mentor, Dr. Eugenia Eng, and her colleagues. The goal of Dr. Eng’s project was to examine organizational competence, specifically the ability of health service organizations to effectively interact with the communities they serve in order to identify and respond to their needs. The purpose of Dr. St. George’s exploratory study was to evaluate the extent to which the dimensions of organizational competence are manifest in a Caribbean country community, specifically in the institutions that were involved in alcohol and other drug abuse (AOD) prevention. Work for this study was conducted in conjunction with the members of the study community, namely a community AOD prevention "action group". Qualitative data were collected by semi-structured face-to-face interviews with representatives of various health-related organizations in the community. Data analysis is currently underway, and the results of this study are expected to contribute to an understanding of how the dimensions of organizational competence may vary by community and health outcome.

[ back to top ]

Andriette Ward, MD, MPH

Current Position:
Pediatrician
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

Training Site:
University of North Carolina

Education:
MD, Case Western Reserve University Medical School
MPH, Health Services, University of California - Los Angeles
BA, Anthropology, Yale University

Research Interests:
Pediatric Medicine, Adolescent Nutrition, & Physical Activity

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

Dr. Ward joined with the Body Shop, a school-based adolescent health clinic that provides accessible, affordable acute and preventive care to roughly 85% of the student population of Horton Middle School in Chatham County, North Carolina to develop a plan to promote nutrition and physical activity in this area where 30% of the students are overweight with a BMI greater than 95%. An additional 18% of the students are at-risk, with a BMI between 85% and 95%.

The objectives of the project were to 1) identify specific environmental changes that can be implemented to improve the nutrition and physical activity of Horton Middle School students, 2) identify ways the Body Shop can facilitate better eating habits and physical activity among Horton Middle School students, 3) identify other community resources available to students and families and 4) to help link students with existing community services.

[ back to top ]

DeWitt Webster, PhD

Current Position:

Training Site:
University of Michigan

Education:
Ph.D, Bio-Behavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University
MPH, Health Education, University of Minnesota School of Public Health
BA, Community Health, University of Minnesota-Morris

Community Health Scholars Project:
Dr. Webster served as a member of the Evaluation Team with the Genesee County REACH 2010 Project, which aims to reduce the infant mortality disparity between black and white infants in the county by focusing on multileveled initiatives (personal, professional, organizational) related to racism that contribute to the disparity. He specifically assessed the organizational dynamics of the REACH 2010 partnership through questionnaires, interviews and meeting observations.  Dr. Webster also assisted with the analysis and application of the Prevention Research Center of Michigan’s Speak to Your Health! Community Survey, a telephone survey designed to gain an understanding of Genesee County residents’ health and community perceptions. 

[ back to top ]

Deanna Perez Williams, Ph.D, CHES, MA

Current Position:
Boston Mountain Educational Cooperative Migrant Education Coordinator
Associated with Howard University School of Medicine

Training Site:
Johns Hopkins University

Education:
Ph.D, Health Science, University of Arkansas
MA, Medical Anthropology, Southern Methodist University
BA, American History/Telecommunications, Cameron University

Community Health Scholars Project:
Since asthma was identified as a major health disparity by the Hispanic Apostolate, a Baltimore CBO, this provided an opportunity for Dr. Williams to partner with Johns Hopkins University and Howard University to design and implement the following CBPR project: "Developing an Asthma Communication Instrument with the Baltimore Hispanic Community." This CBPR project is a component of a current 5-year Howard/Hopkins Center for Reducing Asthma Disparities NHLBI research project.  The overall goal is to reduce the disproportionate burden of asthma experienced by inner-city minorities.  The goal for developing the Asthma Communication Instrument is to improve patient-provider communication in assessing asthma severity in minority populations in order to assign appropriate treatment.

[ back to top ]

Sharla Willis, Dr.PH., MPH, MA

Current Position:
Assistant Professor
Health Behavior and Health Promotion
Ohio State University School of Public Health

Training Site:
University of Michigan

Education:
Dr.PH., Community Health Sciences, University of Illinois-Chicago
MPH, University of California-Los Angeles
MA, Latin American Studies, University of California-Los Angeles

Research Interests:
Latino Women's Health

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

Dr. Willis worked on two projects in Detroit, MI aimed at reducing diabetes and cardiovascular disease risks in Latino and African-American communities. The first, Hispanic Women’s Perspectives on Physical Activity and Health, used a series of focus groups to develop a diabetes risk reduction intervention with Latino women during and after pregnancy. In the second, Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Detroit Partnership, Dr. Willis conducted a formative evaluation using both qualitative and quantitative methods. She participated in training community members to facilitate focus groups with community residents and in analyzing results from these meetings.

[ back to top ]

Edith Gaylord Clark Wolff, J.D., MPH

Current Position:
Research Associate
Center for American Indian and Alaska Native Health
Johns Hopkins University

Training Site:
Johns Hopkins University

Education:
J.D, University of Washington School of Law
MPH, Human Rights, Johns Hopkins University
BA, History, Princeton University

Research Interests:
Health Policy & Father Involvement in Native American Health

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

Dr. Wolff began work with colleagues at The Hopkins Center for American Indian Health in the fall of 1998 on The Fathers Project, a new arm of a teen pregnancy project the center was already operating. The program, Changing Our Lives Through Sharing Our Strength, is a home-visiting teen pregnancy education program in operation at four sites on the Navajo and White Mountain Apache reservations in the Southwest. The center trains native fieldworkers in the basics of healthy pregnancy and pre-natal care. The fieldworkers then deliver that information to pregnant teens through the use of a curriculum designed by Hopkins staff. The program has been highly successful, as determined by data collected during the operation of the program. Dr. Wolff will describe the planning and implementation phases of The Fathers Project. This project represented a successful collaboration between The Hopkins Center for American Indian Health, several generous foundations, and the communities involved. Dr. Wolff is currently a faculty member at Johns Hopkins and continues her work on The Fathers Project. The project has moved into the implementation phase and is in the process of creating the training manual for fieldworkers, and also the materials for the program itself. The community-based nature of this project is demonstrated by the decision making and leadership by senior fieldworkers from the communities served.

[ back to top ]

Anna Yeakley, Ph.D, MSW, MA

Current Position:
Adjunct Lecturer
Multicultural Programs and Services
School of Social Work
University of Michigan

Training Site:
University of Michigan

Education:
Ph.D, Social Work and Social Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
MSW, Community Organizing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
MA, Social Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
BS, Engineering & Applied Science, California Institute of Technology

Research Interests:
Social Services, Latino Health, & Diversity Education

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

Dr. Yeakley was involved in the early developmental stages of a project involving Latina women.

[ back to top ]

Angela Odoms Young, Ph.D, MS

Current Postion:
Research Scientist
Welfare, Children, and Families Ethnographic Study
University of Illinois

Training Site:
University of Michigan

Education:
Ph.D, Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University
MS, Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University
BS, Foods and Nutrition, University of Illinois

Research Interests:
Community Nutrition, Health Disparities, Faith-Based Approaches in the African American Community

Community Health Scholars Program Project:

The University of Michigan School of Public Health had an ongoing relationship with several community-based organizations and agencies in the city of Detroit throughthe Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center (URC). Funded by the Centers for Disease Control, the URC provided opportunities for Dr. Odoms to participate in projects that addressed health disparities in urban communities and gained a clearer view of issues involved in conducting community-based participatory research (CBPR), including: sustaining partnerships with organizations at the community level, balancing academic-community responsibilities, and securing funding.

Dr. Odoms Young had a particular interest in incorporating CBPR principles in nutrition research and in working with African-American communities. She worked within the Eastside Village Health Worker Partnership (ESVHWP). Initiated as part of the URC in 1996, the ESVHWP uses a lay health advisor model to address health concerns of women and children in a predominately African-American community in Detroit. Dr. Odoms participated in ongoing project activities, program evaluation, and a diabetes prevention project that focused on training community members to address issues related to healthy eating and physical activity.

A second research project in which Dr. Odoms Young participated is the Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Project. She was involved in planning protocols for African-American and Latino focus groups focusing on diet and nutrition in Detroit.

Presentations:
Ethnicity or Religion? Examining the Role of Culture in the Dietary Habits of African-American Muslim Women. Presentation given at the Center for Research on Ethnicity, Culture, and Health Brown Bag Series, January 2000.

[ back to top ]